Divine Wind: Martyrs to the Emperor
by Shugotenshi47
Summary: This is a story of the sacrifices and dedication of the Imperial Navy as they fight to hold off a superior enemy. Intended as a side story to my Wrath of Chaos story told from the naval point of view


Divine Wind: Martyrs to the Emperor

1137 High Orbit Over Faralon III

"Get me more ammo, now!" shouted Lieutenant Toshizou Okabe of the Imperial Navy's Amatsu Expeditionary Task Force. Climbing down from the cockpit of his Thunderbolt fighter, he shouted to one of the crewmen. "Where the hell are the anti-ship units?"

"Sir! The Task Force is out of anti-ship missiles!" replied one of the crewmen.

"What?" roared the enraged pilot.

"Sir, we have expended all fighter and bomber carried anti-ship missiles. The only thing we have left are the nuclear ground attack bombs."

"Damn it!" Shouted Okabe he paused for a moment and was right about to speak again when the entire ship shook and groaned knocking Okabe off his feet and the world descended to darkness.

"Get up flyboy, we're not done yet!" ordered Major Shugo Takeda. Okabe groaned.

"No more Shugo. I'm done for the day." Takeda grinned and held out his hand.

"You're so lazy Toshizou."

"Whatever." Replied Okabe as he grabbed Takeda's hand and hauled himself to his feet. "I'm a pilot not a ground pounder."

"Doesn't mean you can't keep yourself in shape."

"Shut up." The two officers grinned and then Takeda's face fell as he went into deep thought.

"How long has it been?" asked Takeda.

"How long has it been since what?"

"Since we met at Shirohoshi. It must be what? Twenty or so years?" Okabe paused.

"Fifteen. It's been fifteen years since we were just boys at the Shirohoshi Academy huh?" Okabe laughed. "To be young and foolhardy again. We're old men now Shugo."

"Shut up! We're not that old, besides who are you to talk I out rank you." Replied Takeda, a wide grin spread across his face.

"You got that promotion because that Inquisitor has the hots for you." Countered Okabe. Takeda grew red in the face and scrunched up his eyebrows.

"That's not true. I got my promotion because of my dedicated service."

"I'm joking. You take everything so seriously Shugo, ever since we were boys you were the serious one."

"Whatever." Takeda paused and then spoke again slowly. "We're going behind enemy lines this round. Supposed to be an extended long-range recon and Intel gathering op with the Inquisitor." Okabe nodded and began to scratch the back of his head.

"Yeah I know." Okabe look down at his timepiece and frowned. "Crap, I should be going."

"Same here." Takeda sighed. "The operation begins in a few hours, I should probably get some rest."

"Good luck down there." Okabe spoke his eyes blazing with a determination that always shined through his laidback personality "I swear to you that any threat from space won't get past me. As long as I draw breath I'll keep you and your men cover from up here."

"My ass you'll cover us! We're fighting half feral heretics not renegades!" replied Takeda. "The thoughts are appreciated though. I'll see you when we get back." The two old comrades departed to fight another battle in the name of the Emperor.

"Banzai to the Emperor!" shouted Okabe.

"Banzai!" replied Takeda.

Okabe blinked and tried to shield his eyes from the sudden blinding light. He groaned slightly and looked around.

"Was I dreaming?" he asked himself. "Yes, yes I was dreaming Shugo has been planetside for several months now." He slowly sat up and realized where he was; he was in one of the sick bays of his carrier, the Emperor-class battleship, **Isamashii**-Maru. He heard footsteps and looked over a saw a crewman rushing to him.

"Lieutenant Okabe! Sir, Admiral Yamamoto wanted to see you once you've wakened. The admiral is holding a briefing in…" the crewman paused. "at this rate you're going to be late."

"Thank you crew man." Okabe climbed out of a makeshift cot that had been set up on the floor and began to move. Making his way through the halls of the massive ship to the bridge where the admiral always held his briefings. "Lieutenant Okabe reports as ordered Admiral." Admiral Yamamoto looked up and nodded.

"Good to see you're up and about Lieutenant. You're the highest ranked member of your wing that isn't about to fall over with fatigue. I've called representatives from every unit in the task force to come here to decide our next course of action. Lieutenant you're the last representative that we were waiting for, come with me to the briefing room."

"Yes, sir." Replied Okabe as he followed Yamamoto into a massive briefing room. Inside were officers from the different fighter and bomber wings and officers from the various warships in the Task Force.

"Commander what's our situation?" asked Yamamoto to one of his tactical advisors.

"Yes, sir. Well, we have so far offset the renegade's superior numbers with hit and run attacks with our fighters and bombers, however we're out of anti-ship missiles and the enemy vanguard still outnumbers us by a battleship and three frigates."

"Admiral, what about deploying our fighters and bombers to attack their engines and other vital targets leaving them dead in the water for an attack?" asked one of the ship captains.

"Impossible!" shouted one of the wing commanders. "Our fighters and bombers don't have the firepower to cause enough damage for that to be effective." Suddenly Okabe spoke up.

"Sir, what about strapping one of the nuclear ground attack bombs onto a Thunderbolt and flying it into one of the enemy ships?" asked Okabe.

"Lieutenant did I hear you correctly? Are you proposing a special attack mission?" asked one of the ship commanders.

"Yes sir that is exactly what I am proposing." Replied Okabe. The room burst into shouting as men both denounced the idea and praised it.

"Silence!" shouted Yamamoto. "We are Imperial Naval officers! Not squabbling cadets! Control yourselves!" Yamamoto sighed and spoke again. "What the lieutenant is proposing is a valid idea but it will be costly in the terms of material and men. However, we are running out of options and if we cannot achieve victory then the ground forces are going to be overrun. Lieutenant, explain your plan to the others please."

"Yes, sir. The idea is that we form the bombers, special attack units, and the fighter escort into a standard bombing run formation, basically hide the special attack units in plain sight. Once the formation reaches a certain distance the special attack units will activate atomospheric exit rockets that will propel them forward at high speeds, through enemy anti-fighter firepower, and into the enemy ship detonating the bomb when the fighter is destroyed." Okabe looked at the officers before, Admiral Yamamoto spoke.

"Is it possible to do what he is saying?" he asked.

"Yes, sir its possible some of the modifications might take some time though." Replied one of the tech-priests. "It just depends on how many we need."

"How many do we need to take out a battleship?" asked Yamamoto.

"One if we get a good direct hit, but I would recommend three just to make sure." Came the reply.

"How long will it take you to have twenty-four ready to go?"

"I would say four hours or so, sir."

"Get it done." Ordered Yamamoto.

"Yes, sir." The tech-priest replied. He gathered his cohorts and they left the room to begin modifications.

"Lieutenant, who do you have in mind for this attack?" asked one of the fighter wing commanders.

"Myself and the first twenty-three volunteers that I get." Replied Okabe his voice steady and somber. Admiral Yamamoto looked at him and spoke in a similar tone.

"Make a good account of yourself Lieutenant."

"Yes, sir." Okabe and Yamamoto exchanged salutes and Okabe left to organize his volunteers.

The hours pasted slowly as the tech-priests worked to finish the modifications to the Thunderbolts. There had been more then enough volunteers for the special attack unit but like he promised, Okabe had selected the first twenty-three volunteers. After being briefed on their mission and the plan of action Okabe asked his volunteers if anyone wanted to drop of out the unit, none did. Finally after prayers and cups of sake had been passed out to each pilot, they took to their planes. The way to the hanger lined by many crewmen and other personnel, many of them were cheer, crying, or both at the courageous men who were about to die for the Emperor.

Okabe climbed into the cockpit of his Thunderbolt fighter and was launched into the void. This was the very Thunderbolt he began his career as a pilot in and his last request was that he fly it to his death. Okabe had been designated the commander of the 215th Special Attack Unit, or the two hundred and fifteenth unit to launch this type of attack. Rallying around his fighters were a force Starhawk bombers and other Thunderbolts fighters. They would be his cover until they were in range of their targets.

"Sakura One this is Guard One we are ready and standing by. Guard One out." Called out the leader of the Thunderbolt escort.

"Roger that Guard. All other units report ready. Waiting for the admiral's order to begin the operation. Sakura One out." Replied Okabe. They did not have to wait long as Yamamoto's voice came over the net.

"Lieutenant Okabe, you are cleared to commence the operation."

"Roger that, sir." Replied Okabe. The attack force started to move forward, maintaining a tight formation. The attack started out almost two hundred kilometers away from their target, they would have to brave enemy fighters and anti-fighter and bomber fire from the enemy ships they were hunting. Suddenly one of the Thunderbolt pilots cried out.

"Bandit! Bandit! Eleven o'clock low, coming in fast! Guard Nineteen, moving to intercept!"

"Uh… Roger that Guard Nineteen. Guard Sixteen, Three, and Eight move in to support!" ordered Guard One.

"Come on! Come on! We have to make it." muttered Okabe to himself. They were not even half way to the rocket ignition point and they had been jumped by enemy fighters.

"This is Kato Eight! Enemy fighters! Four o'clock high!" cried out one of the bomber decoys.

"Acknowledged! Guard Ten, Eleven, Six, and Twenty move to intercept!" All around the attack force chatter skyrocketed as enemy fighters moved in to intercept the attack force. The Guard Flight escort fighters had scattered in all directions to fend off the enemy fighters.

"Fifty clicks until ignition point!" shouted Okabe. Suddenly space lit up like high noon and he knew that they had just entered the beginning of the enemy picket line. To his left he saw one of the Starhawk bombers strafed by enemy weaponry and begin to tumble out of control.

"This is Kato Two! We've been hit! I repeated we've been hit!" shouted the frantic pilot. Suddenly the bomber exploded forever ending the frantic calls of Kato two for help.

"Forty clicks until ignition point!" cried out Okabe once more. "We can make it!"

"Sakura Twenty! Bandit at your six o'clock, high!" shouted Guard One. 'Moving to intercept!"

"This is Sakura Twenty! I can't shake him! Somebody get him off of me!" shouted the frantic pilot of Sakura Twenty. The enemy fighter suddenly exploded in a brilliant flash of light.

"This is Guard One! Got the bastard for you Sakura Twenty!"

"Twenty clicks until ignition point!" Okabe and his men pushed their engines as hard as they could go. They were so close they could taste victory.

"This is Sakura Eight! I'm hit! I'm hit!" shouted the pilot of Sakura Eight, Okabe looked to his right and saw Sakura Eight begin to tumble out of control.

"All units stay clear of Sakura Eight!" Okabe shouted. Sakura Eight tumbled for almost a kilometer more before impacting on one of the enemy frigates and exploded. The frigate was engulfed in nuclear fire and was completely destroyed.

"Ten clicks to ignition point!" shouted Okabe, his thumb moved to the ignition button. "All Sakura units ignition on my mark!" Three! Two! One! Mark!" Okabe and the other pilots ignited their rockets and flew forward at greater speeds. "Thanks for the cover Guard and Kato units!" he called out.

"Banzai!" shouted Guard One as the surviving Thunderbolts and Starhawks turned back and headed back to the Isamashii-maru.

"I'm hit! I'm hit! This is Sakura Nineteen! I've been hit!" Sakura Nineteen spun out of control and exploded brightly. Several seconds later Sakura Three impacted one of the enemy cruisers. The ship groaned and began to list towards the planet only to be impacted by Sakura Ten, breaking the cruiser in half. Under the hail of enemy fire Sakura Six and Three were destroyed and Sakura Seven spiraled out of control and impacted an enemy destroyer, annihilating it. One by one, the Sakura units were destroyed or hit their targets until there were just four left. Sakura One, Sakura Twenty-Three, Sakura Fifteen, and Sakura Four.

Okabe skillfully piloted his fighter and aimed it at one of the enemy battleships. The ship was badly wounded it would just take one more blow to finish it.

"Banzai!" he shouted. Suddenly warning alerts began to blare around his cockpit. Okabe's Thunderbolt had been hit. It began to spiral out of control. Fighting for control his fighter spun away from his target. This was it, he knew it. He had failed to hit his target. Looking up he saw a dark shape above him. It was the other enemy battleship and he was spiraling straight into it. Grinning madly he shouted again. "Banzai to the Emperor!"

Okabe's Thunderbolt impacted the battleship. The explosion ripped through the ship tearing huge chunks asunder. Okabe's death was followed quickly by his fellows, each striking their target. As fate would have it, Okabe had hit the battleship's command deck obliterating the ship's commander and destroying many vital systems. Already wounded by an earlier strike the warship began to drift into the atmosphere showering debris across the sky.

Meanwhile, on the ground of Faralon Major Takeda looked up at the sky. Just a moment ago he saw a number of bright flashes in the sky. Those were the flashes of nuclear detonations.

"Major, I thought the Task Force didn't have nuclear anti-ship weapons." asked Corporal Kasahara.

"They don't, it must have been a special attack unit." He replied.

"Yes, sir." Kasahara's response was somber; every warrior of Amatsu knew what a special attack unit was and the cost of using one in battle.

"Come on! Lets not let their sacrifice go to waste!" shouted Takeda. "We still have a war to win!" A roar of approval came up from his soldiers as they marched forward to blossom brightly like the cherry blossom in spring only to face a beautiful and glorious death on the battlefield for Amatsu, for the Emperor.


End file.
